


Every Breath Will Byers Takes

by hudsteith



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2019-03-07 16:26:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13438686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hudsteith/pseuds/hudsteith
Summary: A dance class never reaveled that much for Mike.





	Every Breath Will Byers Takes

**Author's Note:**

> I like Byler fics that Mike notices first his feelings for Will :)  
> Follow me on Twitter: @hudsteith  
> I like comments, to see if people enjoy my writing way

Mike and Will were in telephone for 15 minutes, talking about the Snow Ball. Apparently Will was very worried about it and Mike was trying to cheer him up.

 

“I don’t know if I will go.” said Will, his voice sound sad.

 

“You have to. Everyone will go and will be cool.” said Mike.

 

Actually, Will want to go so bad. It would be nice have a different night in Hawkins,  _ for once _ . But he wasn't so excited at spend the whole night close to people that call him “Zombie boy” and other things, and that probably will call him during the Ball.

 

“I don’t have a reason to go.” said Will. “I’ll be alone at the table while you, Dustin and Lucas will be dancing.”

 

“But won’t be many songs to dance. Most of time we will be laughing at the morons of school and drinking soda.” said Mike, and he heard a laugh in the other side of the line. “And some girl will take you to dance, for sure.”

 

Another problem: Will didn’t know how to dance. Your mom knew that and offered herself to teach him to dance, but Will refused; his mom was of another age, she dances in a different way, and he knew this because he already saw her dancing with Bob. And even he accepted, Will knew that his brother Jonathan didn’t know how to dance. He hadn’t anyone who teach to.

 

Will said this to Mike and soon he gave an idea:

 

“I can ask Nancy to teach you to dance. She teach me too.” but he remembered. “Shit, she was to a friend’s house, get dressed to the party there.”

 

“So that’s it. I won’t go to the Snow Ball.” said Will.

 

Mike thought in something very stupid, and maybe Will even would accept it. But he couldn’t stop thinking that would be the only way to your friend go, and have a little fun. He knew how much Will needed to have fun, to feel like a normal boy.

 

“Will, do you want that I teach you how to dance?” Mike asked, shy.

 

When the words came out of your mouth, Mike realised that was really weird. Two boys dancing together. But why had to be weird? It's Will and him, his first best friend, the person that he doesn’t measure effort to see a smile on his face.

 

Will didn’t answer, and Mike thought that was better to pretend that was a joke, or could get weird between them.

 

“I was joking, Will…” Mike pretended a laugh.

 

“I accept.” said Will. “Can you come at 2 pm?”

 

Now Mike who got speechless. It really would be very funny, or very bizarre, that dance class.

 

At 2 pm, Mike came to Will’s house and knock the door. He was nervous and this wasn't normal. Mike went to Will’s for years and he never got on this way. It was a dance class,  _ for God’s sake _ , not a marriage proposal. Will was smart, he can dance perfectly even before to the end of the first song,  and then they could pretend this class never happened.

 

And Will opened the door, with a nervous smile. Mike got himself appreciating how beautiful was that smile and how his friend’s shyness gets him cuter, and then he shook his head, ignoring the thought.

 

“Is everything okay, Mike?” asked Will, when saw Mike’s behavior.

 

“I’m okay.” Mike said, getting in the house. “Dustin and Lucas will never know about this.”

 

“I promise.” laughed Will.

 

They grabbed the sofa and the table to the corner, letting the center of the living room free for they can move. Will brought the radio of his room and start to change stations, looking for a ballad, so they could rehearse.

 

And then Will find a station that was starting to play a The Police song. He stood in front of Mike, looking to his friend.

 

“Ok. Let’s rehearse.” Mike wasn’t feeling well, clearly,. He should feel nervous just at night, when he would be dancing in front of everyone, with Eleven.

 

He shouldn’t be nervous for dancing where there’s no one to watch, with Will.

 

“Let’s pretend that I’m the girl, ok?” when Mike said this, Will laughed. “So you can learn how to conduce someone.”

 

“I’d hope not dance with someone bigger than me.” played Will.

 

“Everyone is bigger than you.”

 

They laughed a little more and Mike took Will’s hand, the small one looking to this, until Mike put Will’s hands in your waist, and he put his hands around Will’s neck.

 

“It should be this distance.” said Mike, looking to Will, that waved with the head. “Nancy said the distance get shorter with the years.”

 

“Ok. And now?” asked Will, curious.

 

“We swing, like this.” Mike started to swing his body slowly. “You’re the man, so you lead the dance. You swing according the song rhythm.”

 

“Is just this?” Will looked surprised. “I thought that would be much hard. Let’s dance and you tell me if I was well, ok?”

 

Mike took a deep breath and shook his head. He was feeling weird. It never was so difficult being close to Will; actually he was, of your three friends, the easier to talk to. Even when he was with the monster inside of him, quieter and isolated than ever, Mike knew how to cheer him up and see his friend well let him very happy. Then why this favor he was doing to Will was being so hard for him?

 

Maybe because he was trying not to look in Will’s curious eyes following his own body swinging, or his happy smile for made what he wanted, or because there’s something beautiful in this little boy dancing at the first time with someone, and that someone was him.

 

Or maybe because, under all the Mike’s  nervousness and restlessness, he was enjoying dancing with Will. And he was wishing too much that Will was feeling the same.

 

And he started to listen the song lyrics, and he felt some subject there. Every Will’s breath, every step he gave, Mike was there to watch. Thinking of that warmed Mike’s heart and made him want be there to watch many and many times more.

 

The song gave the last notes and Will raised his eyes, and there was a shine that Mike didn’t see for so long. A mix of excitement and gratitude.

 

“I made it!” smiled Will. “Did I dance well? I did everything right?”

 

Mike wasn’t think correctly when he saw Will smiling to him. He just kept with his arms around Will and kissed him. Will’s lips  was small and soft and Mike felt mint flavor, maybe Will’s toothpaste.

 

When Mike step back and looked to Will, he was paralyzed, with open and shocked eyes, like he’d taken a shock. And he was shocked. His best friend had kissed him, in the mouth.

 

None of them spoke, the only sound that it was heard was the broadcaster saying what next song would play. Mike was seeing that it had been the most stupid idea kiss Will. He hadn’t idea what to talk to the youngest boy.

 

“Will…” Mike started to talk.

 

But Will just walked to his room and closed the door. Mike hitted himself in the head, cursing himself and went to Will’s door and knocked, even knowing that he wouldn’t open.

 

“Will, sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” said Mike.

 

“And why you did?” asked Will, and his voice wasn’t angry or shocked. He was crying.

 

Mike wanted he can find a good lie to tell to Will, but he hadn’t. He never lied to Will.

 

“Because I like you.” Mike said with his eyes closed. He could see Will opening his mouth, in shock. “I think that I always liked you.”

 

Mike only could hear Will’s breath, because of course he couldn’t answer that.

 

“When you got lost, I-I freaked out. I thought that I’ll never see you again.” Mike sat on the floor and lean against the door. “And then El showed up and I mixed everything up. And then you got back, but El gone. All of this made that I didn’t notice how much you’re important to me. But now you both are here, in the Real World, and I…”

 

“You don’t like Eleven anymore?” asked Will.

 

“I like both of you. I guess.”

 

A silence. Mike didn’t know what to do, he just wanted that, in the next minute, Will’d open the door and said everything is okay between them. He couldn’t lose Will again.

 

“Mike.” said Will, after a while.

 

“Yeah?” Mike answered.

 

“I need you leave.”

 

“What?”

 

“Please, leave.”

 

Mike never imagined that one day Will would expel him to his house, but that was happening. Mike cleaned a tear that fall out and left silently of Byers house.

 

-

 

It’s already night and Mike had to get ready to the Ball. He didn’t want to go anymore, but he had promised to El last year to bring her to Snow Ball, and it was one of the few nights she can get out, she couldn’t be seen yet, after all.

 

His mother helped him with his clothes and still had a stupid photoshoot with him already dressed. Mike wasn’t in the mood, but he didn’t have to discuss. He took the stupid photos and went to find Nancy in the party.

 

When he got to the party, Will and Lucas were already there. Mike spoke to them, but he noticed that Will didn’t look him in the eye. At least he didn’t say nothing to Lucas, apparently.

 

Dustin and Max came, letting the space more calm, but now Mike had to sit more far from Will, that pretends he didn’t exist. Mike wondered if he deserved to be treated like this.

 

And then that song was playing again. By instinct, Mike looked to Will, and he looked back. Far away, they heard Lucas asking Max to dance.

 

They broke the glance when a girl came and said Will’s name.

 

“Do you wanna dance?” asked her.

 

Will looked again to Mike, and the tall one expected so much that his sadness wasn’t show in his face. But maybe was, because Will answered:

 

“Ok.”

 

He took the girl’s hand and went to the dancefloor. Mike follow all the walk and saw Will doing everything he teached earlier: the hands in the waist, the right distance, the music rhythm. Dustin said he will find someone to dance with.

 

Mike noticed that Will interacted with the girl, that looked older than them, and Mike only could feel worst than ever. Will really didn’t like him, and probably he took their life-time friendship in the garbage for a feeling that didn’t have to be exposed. Mike could live very well all his life liking Will without him knowing. That would be less painful than Will knowing the feeling and doesn’t want him around.

 

And this also means the end of an era. Wouldn’t have more Mike, Will, Dustin and Lucas playing D&D in Mike’s basement, or matching costumes on Halloween, even Science or AV Club. This breakup would do that Dustin and Lucas had to hanging out with Will and Mike separately or worst, pick a side.

 

The gym door opened and Eleven got in on it. Mike smiled to see the girl all dressed up, happy to go outside the house. Mike owned this to El. He had to be happy for her.

 

And he asked her to dance that song. Even Eleven doesn’t knowing how to dance, they being there, together, having fun, was enough. They swung according the song and Eleven’s eyes shined to Mike. And then he tried something.

 

Mike kissed her, and he focused in the kiss, begging that something happened. Some sparkle of the feeling that he nourished for her since the day they met had to be there. Mike closed his eyes, focused in the seconds their lips was melted, but he felt nothing.

 

When he step away from Eleven, she was smiling. The kiss was good for her,  _ dammit _ , Mike thought. Now he had to do something he didn’t want to: break El’s heart.

 

“El, I have to tell you something.” started Mike, looking to the floor.

 

“Ok.” said Eleven.

 

“I don’t like you anymore.”

 

Eleven stopped her smile and dance and started to look to Mike like she was looking to the Demogorgon. Mike was fearing she would start crying right there.

 

“You don’t wanna be my friend anymore?” her voice was shaking.

 

“No! Is not that.” Mike was relieved again; is not what he thought. And they were dancing again. “We are friends. But I can’t kiss you anymore. Because I like someone else.”

 

“As a kiss-this-person way?”

 

“Yeah.” Mike looked to Will’s back. “But this person doesn’t like me in the same way.”

 

“Hopper told me that if you wanna know something, you have to ask.” Eleven simply said this.

 

“You’re not upset with me?”

 

“No. You said that you’re still my friend. That's what matters.” Eleven hugged Mike and kept dancing with him.

 

They continued dancing that way till the song is over. Mike took Eleven to get soda, and when they came back to their table, the other kids were there and Lucas was talking to Will and a smile.

 

“She likes you! She wanted dance two songs with you!” smiled Lucas.

 

“Will has a girlfriend.” sang Max, teasing with the boy.

 

“But I don’t like her.” said Will and he leave the table.

 

Mike down his head, back to think in his broken friendship. Eleven looked to that and poked him.

 

“Will?” she asked. “He’s the person you wanna kiss?”

 

“Shhhh!” whispered Mike. “No one can know this, El!”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because people don’t like boys who like boys!”

 

“Why people should matter with other people’s business?”

 

And then a song begins. Every Breath You Take. Some people thought weird, but the couples go dance in the dance floor.

 

“This song again?” asked Dustin.

 

“Yes.”

 

Everyone looked, and Will was again with them. Will was between Mike and Eleven and his hand extended to Mike, a shy smile in his face.

 

“Wanna dance?” asked Will.

 

No one in the table said anything, and everyone, unless Will and Mike, has open mouths, not can express a word. Mike looked to the extended hand and blinked his eyes.

 

“Let’s go. Before the song ends.” worried up Will.

 

Mike took Will’s hand and they went to the dance floor. Now not only Dustin, Lucas, Max and Eleven’s eyes were on them. Everyone in the gym stopped to look this.

 

“Everyone is watching.” said Mike.

 

“I’m the Zombie boy, remember?” smiled Will. “They always will look.”

 

Will put Mike’s hand in his waist and his hands around Mike’s neck. And they started to swing in the song rhythm.

 

“Why are you doing this?” asked Mike.

 

“The girl that I danced with...She didn’t catch the rhythm.” said Will. “I had to make sure that the problem isn’t me.”

 

“Why are you doing this?” asked again Mike.

 

Will’s smile gone and he looked down for a moment, taking courage.

 

“After you kissed me, I started to hear my dad’s voice in my head.” Will was with a slow and sad voice. “He called me queer. Troy and his friends also call me that. I send you away because I didn’t want to believe that everything they said about me was true.”

 

Now they just looked to each other, like they was trying to supply each other’s sadness. Mike just wanna hug Will and say that everything’s gonna be okay.

 

“You wanna mean that…?” Mike was still trying to process all of this.

 

“I really don’t care anymore, because if I like boys, I wanna like you.” smiled Will. “And now you can kiss me.”

 

“Everyone of school are here.”

 

“Do you think that will change anything for them? We are dancing together, Mike.” laughed Will.

 

Mike laughed before to get closer to Will and give a long kiss in the small one. There’s no music, no people, nothing. Just the happiness for no losing Will. Didn’t matter the consequences, because knowing that he was doing Will happy was the great force that he got.


End file.
